Healing Intergenerational Trauma Through the Eyes of Your Ancestors: An Artistic Experience

Where: Becky Keenan's art studio at Dillworth Artisan Station

When: (weekend dates flexible) Fri. 6 to 8:30 pm, Sat. 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sun. 10 am to 12 pm

Workshop Size: 6 participants

Description: As long as we remain caught in a web of family patterns, we are likely to struggle in our lives, health, and relationships. By untangling the threads of our family history, we can unearth and unravel unconscious influences upon our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Visual art and writing can be tools for imagining ourselves into others’ minds and bodies, and through that process, cultivating understanding, compassion, and empathy. Through these acts of understanding and empathy, we come to better understand ourselves and cultivate self-compassion. We become freer to give and receive love.

Writer Brooke Shaffner will lead participants in imagining themselves into the mind and body of a chosen ancestor through writing. Then, visual artist Becky Keenan will guide participants in physically and emotionally connecting to this ancestor through painting.

No writing or painting experience is necessary. The goal of this weekend workshop is to create a space for self-love and compassion by identifying the generational pattern of thinking that is holding us back from living our fullest life.

Instructors: 

Becky Keenan
Discovering that four generations of women in her family, starting with her maternal grandmother, had all followed the same life path, at the same age and with the same difficult outcome, plunged Becky into a journey of discovering the silent story behind her family’s history and the devastating outcome for each woman. Her journey of finding acceptance and self-love inspired this workshop. Her hope is to help guide others through their journey of healing.

Brooke Shaffner 

Brooke is currently working on a memoir. Her writing is integral to the healing process. She works toward holding the darkness, light, and complexity of family members, herself, life, and humanity with understanding and compassion. Though stories grow out of conflict, she strives, also, to find words that hold (extra)ordinary moments of contentment and joy.

Cost: Brooke and Becky are offering the first workshop free. Contact Brooke at bnshaffner@gmail.com if interested.